Jan Perner – the statue and square in front of Pardubice's train station

Jan Perner is one of the most recognizable names tied to railway history in the Czech Republic, and both a square and a bronze statue in front of the main railway station in Pardubice carry his name. For travelers stepping off a train, the statue is often the first landmark they see in the city – an engineer in period uniform, cast in bronze, looking out toward the tracks he once helped design.

Who was Jan Perner?

Jan Perner (1815–1845) was a Czech railway engineer. Between 1842 and 1845 he was responsible for the construction of several railway lines across the Austrian Empire. He took part in the surveying work for the Prague–Vienna railway line, and it was largely thanks to his input that the route was directed through Olomouc and Pardubice rather than another path. That decision turned Pardubice into an important railway junction as early as the mid-19th century, shaping the city's development for generations.

Perner's life ended tragically at just 30 years old. In 1845 he suffered a head injury after hitting a signaling pole while stepping down from a moving railway carriage behind the bridge near Choceň; he died the following day at home. Despite his short life, he left a lasting mark as one of the pioneers of Czech railway engineering.

The square and the monument

Náměstí Jana Pernera is a square in the Zelené Předměstí district, sitting right next to Pardubice's main railway station. It was here, in 2017, that a bronze statue of the engineer was unveiled, created by academic sculptor Jaroslav Brož, himself a native of Pardubice. The statue depicts Perner as the "chief engineer of state railways," dressed in the period uniform befitting his role in building out the rail network.

The monument, which cost 1.8 million Czech crowns, was part of a larger redevelopment of the area in front of the station, where a modern multimodal transport hub connecting trains, buses, and other means of transport was built. Today the square serves a dual purpose: it functions as a practical transit hub for the city and as a place commemorating the man to whom Pardubice owes much of its railway significance.

Why stop here?

For travelers walking through Pardubice or changing trains at the station, the square is a natural starting point for a short visit — it takes only a few minutes to take in a piece of local history along the way. The statue isn't a major tourist attraction on its own, but it's a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in the history of railways in Central Europe, or in the urban planning and architecture built around transport hubs.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Jan Perner statue located? It stands on náměstí Jana Pernera, the square in front of Pardubice's main railway station, in the Zelené Předměstí district.

When was the statue built? The statue was unveiled in 2017 and was created by sculptor Jaroslav Brož.

Why is Jan Perner so important to Pardubice? His surveying work helped route the Prague–Vienna railway line through Pardubice, turning the city into a major railway junction.

How did Jan Perner die? He died in 1845, at age 30, from a head injury sustained after hitting a signaling pole while stepping down from a moving railway carriage.

Is it worth visiting the square while in Pardubice? Yes — it's a convenient landmark right by the station, easy to see without going out of your way.